Belize’s federal government and Prime Minister Dean Barrow introduced legislation which would remove criminal consequences for anyone caught with 10 grams of cannabis or less.

Under the proposal, smoking inside a private residence would fall under decriminalization protections, while instances like smoking on federal grounds would still warrant a fine.

The Barrow administration introduced the Misuse of Drugs Act to help guide the country on a more progressive path and away from the country’s politically strong church groups.

Barrow said there will be push-back from churches, however a large amount of voters will support it.

The National Evangelical Association of Belize (NEAB) brought up concerns such as child safety and public health warnings as reasons to keep cannabis criminalized.

The bill needs to be approval by the Health and Human Development Committee of Belize’s House of Representatives before making its way through the country’s legislature.